Yamaga, Kumamoto
# Yamaga, Kumamoto

Yamaga (山鹿市, Yamaga-shi) is a city in Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan. The city was founded on April 1, 1954.

On January 15, 2005, Yamaga absorbed the towns of Kahoku, Kamoto, Kaō and Kikuka (all from Kamoto District) to create the new and expanded city of Yamaga.

As of March 31, 2017, the city has a population of 53,404 and a population density of 180 persons per $km^2.$ The total area is 299.67 $km^2.$

## Geography

### Surrounding municipalities

* Kumamoto Prefecture
   * Gyokutō
   * Kikuchi
   * Kumamoto
   * Nagomi
* Fukuoka Prefecture
   * Yame
* Ōita Prefecture
   * Hita

### Climate

Yamaga has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen climate classification Cfa) with hot, humid summers and cool winters. There is significant precipitation throughout the year, especially during June and July. The average annual temperature in Yamaga is 14.9 °C (58.8 °F). The average annual rainfall is 2,177.9 mm (85.74 in) with July as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 26.3 °C (79.3 °F), and lowest in January, at around 3.5 °C (38.3 °F). The highest temperature ever recorded in Yamaga was 36.9 °C (98.4 °F) on 21 August 2013 and 8 August 2015; the coldest temperature ever recorded was −10.1 °C (13.8 °F) on 19 February 1977.

Climate data for Kahoku, Yamaga (1991−2020 normals, extremes 1977−present) :

| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Record high °C (°F) | 22.0 (71.6) | 23.3 (73.9) | 26.0 (78.8) | 30.1 (86.2) | 35.3 (95.5) | 34.9 (94.8) | 36.8 (98.2) | 36.9 (98.4) | 35.8 (96.4) | 32.3 (90.1) | 26.3 (79.3) | 24.0 (75.2) | 36.9 (98.4) |
| Average high °C (°F) | 9.7 (49.5) | 11.4 (52.5) | 15.2 (59.4) | 20.7 (69.3) | 25.3 (77.5) | 27.3 (81.1) | 30.6 (87.1) | 32.0 (89.6) | 28.9 (84.0) | 23.7 (74.7) | 17.6 (63.7) | 11.9 (53.4) | 21.2 (70.2) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 3.5 (38.3) | 4.9 (40.8) | 8.4 (47.1) | 13.6 (56.5) | 18.4 (65.1) | 22.1 (71.8) | 25.7 (78.3) | 26.3 (79.3) | 22.9 (73.2) | 17.0 (62.6) | 10.9 (51.6) | 5.4 (41.7) | 14.9 (58.9) |
| Average low °C (°F) | −1.5 (29.3) | −0.9 (30.4) | 2.1 (35.8) | 6.8 (44.2) | 11.9 (53.4) | 17.7 (63.9) | 22.0 (71.6) | 22.0 (71.6) | 18.2 (64.8) | 11.4 (52.5) | 5.3 (41.5) | 0.2 (32.4) | 9.6 (49.3) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −8.8 (16.2) | −10.1 (13.8) | −6.7 (19.9) | −3.9 (25.0) | 0.9 (33.6) | 6.3 (43.3) | 12.7 (54.9) | 13.7 (56.7) | 6.2 (43.2) | −0.7 (30.7) | −3.7 (25.3) | −7.4 (18.7) | −10.1 (13.8) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 59.3 (2.33) | 84.8 (3.34) | 136.3 (5.37) | 158.7 (6.25) | 196.7 (7.74) | 449.0 (17.68) | 452.5 (17.81) | 233.2 (9.18) | 167.2 (6.58) | 86.4 (3.40) | 87.8 (3.46) | 66.1 (2.60) | 2,177.9 (85.74) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm) | 7.8 | 8.6 | 10.9 | 10.5 | 10.1 | 14.2 | 14.1 | 11.5 | 9.6 | 6.8 | 7.9 | 7.9 | 119.9 |
| Mean monthly sunshine hours | 119.5 | 128.6 | 162.2 | 186.2 | 196.4 | 124.6 | 157.2 | 190.2 | 169.8 | 179.8 | 143.4 | 126.6 | 1,884.6 |
| Source: Japan Meteorological Agency ||||||||||||||

### Demography

According to Japanese census data, this is the population of Yamaga in recent years.

| 1995 | 2000 | 2005 | 2010 | 2015 | 2020 |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 60,991 | 59,491 | 57,726 | 55,391 | 52,264 | 49,082 |

## Local attractions

Attractions include the Kumamoto Prefectural Ancient Burial Mound Museum.

* Yamaga Bon-dancing Lantern Festival, every August event
* Yachioza Traditional Theather

## Notable people

* Kiyoura Keigo, politician
* Raizō Matsuno, politician
* Yorihisa Matsuno, politician
* Ikuo Kabashima, politician
* Shin'ichi Etō, baseball player
* Kōhei Miyazaki, football player
* Sō Kawahara, football player
* Chiyohakuhō Daiki, sumo wrestler
* Daiki Inaba, professional wrestler
* Mayumi Aoki, swimmer
* Ryōtarō Araki, football player
